strength of Australia will be pitted to-day against a the representative! of the United Kingdom who

have had an English football team in Australia be- », fore, but that combination, although carrying out an extraordinary programme of engagements, did not meet the united colonies. Therefore the match to commence this afternoon at 3 o'clock on the Sydney Cricket Ground marks a now era in the world's Rugby football, and it is a coincidence that, while this match will be taking place this side of the

globe, the leaders of English cricket may possibly be occupied in thinking out the best eleven to hope to meet with success in the third match against our cricketing boys The present English team, or as they should be called the United Kingdom fifteen

for England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales are re- presented therein- are not the best combination that ,

tho ft ur countries could muster, hut it is not far re« moiud fiom it With one or two nlteialions, it is probably tho beat that could bo got together for

touring purposes Unfortunately tho scope of soloc- ,

tien of the team to represent Australia in this mutch k does not oxteud huyond Queensland mid Now South

Wales, for tho icaoon that in tho adjoining colonies a < different game, tho Australian, or ns it wits formorly called the Victorian, lsjiluyeil mid also because Now Zealand han nor been uivitod to «end representatives tor this cngagomout, though sho may do so for tho

thn Englishmen including Now/oulnnd in their tour, < which hies not yet been tlohnilolj decided Howevor, the 15 to do battle on bohalf of Austiaha is a strong Olio Pnuhag (N b W ), one of our foremast for-

wards, is uiiforttiiuttly unablo to play, bocauBB ' of an injuiy Biistuiticd m the match New .South Walu v Queensland, mid for a simi- lar reason Lowib, of Queensland, ia not available

Both teams havo gone m for ejatsmntic training, ' and given n line liny and a dry ground, a brilliant exhibition of "Rugby " should hu witnessod The matches so far played hy tbo Britishers with the

results aro -

June 14 -Against Goulburn , won by 11 points i | to J

.Timo 17.-Against N.S.W". ; won by 4 points to a. Juno 20.-AgniiiBt Sydney ; won by 8 points to ii.

In thu engagement against N.S.W. they exhibited lack of condition ; in the second, that with the Sydney Union, thoir form showed au improvoniont ; and, though they cannot yet bo considered to bo in the pink of condition, they should be much nearer tlieroto thun on the two former occasions. The faster tho gunie the moro exciting; it is as ,i rule, and that is the character of play which the public delights to witness. With the continutuico of tho One woathor that has prevailed during tho past few (lays, it Is likely that tlie taste of tho spectators will bo prntinod. Tho Australian team consists of six Queenslander» nilli nina New South Wales playera. The combination of tho local threa-quartora lias boon preserved, mid nu improvement in M*Coivan aa full-back has certainly been secured, that is if ho is in anything like his form of last year, and his com- rades say that he waa br-foro meeting with a strain two or three weeks a¡ro. Waid will havo 13vau3 (CJ.) working with liiui us iivo-uiglit, und G nilton (Ci.j will be soi'um half. The forwards aru a splen- did lot. Instead of playing five eights tho Britishers have four tbrea-qunrtui s and two scrum halves, and their work in connection therewith will be closuly watched with a view of discovering if their ayxlcni bo moro productive thun our own. If New Zealand bo not represented in to-iltvy'a 15, that colony, at any rate, assista very largely at tho ceremony, though in tho capacity of hollier of tho soulos of justice rather than as a pnrtiaan, for Mr. W. G. Garrard, of the Canterbury iNow Zealand) Bofurce»' Association, will sIHciato a9 roforoe.

The following are tho names of the teams and tho plan of tho Held : -

AUSTRALIA.. v Tt. Jtf'Cownn,

Duck.

<Y. White, 1'. Itow, S. A. Spnurg,

A. J. Kelly, C. Elua, A. Colton, P. Carew, li. Mariis, W. Davis,

W. H. Tanner, J. Camon, \ X^onrards.

0

Forwards :

/ rurnmus ; v

f F.M. Stout, T.'W.irGown, J. W. Jnrnun, 1

II. O. S. Orar, J. Prancomb,

A. Ayre-SmiUi, It. C. Helson, O. It. albion,

ENGLAND.

Wo havo boon requested to state that tho official souvonir .card of the English team, as sold by tim sellers wonnug the Bookstall Company's Badge at tho cricket ground, it tho ouly one authorised by tho

N.S.W.lt.F.U.

The cully match will bo between Haudwiclc and Wallaroo, und will commence at 1.45 p.m. The League of Wheelmen will decide tho heats of a milo handicap at 2.45, and tho lina! at 3.&Ü.

Special trams will run direct to the grouud from Bent-street null tho Builway Station. We aro re- quested to state that members must produce their